Mr. Donnacha McKeon:

There are several types of broadcast workers. Behind the part-time workers who are currently in dispute with the service provider, there is also a full-time staff of engineers, editors and producers. There are different types of roles. The specific reason for outsourcing, and it would not really have been outsourcing because all of the part-time workers have been offered contracts with Pi Comms and the majority of them have contracts with Pi Comms, but the reason they are part-time is because the work they do and are specialist in only occurs when the Houses and committees are sitting. However, we have a broadcast channel, Oireachtas TV, which is broadcast 24-7 52 weeks of the year on Sky, Virgin Media, Saorview and other digital platforms. That channel has to be produced, maintained and monitored as well because we have contracts with all of these broadcast platforms.